Forgotten
by Tarilenea
Summary: Just when life was settling down, Haldir finds an intruder in Lothlorien who is likely to turn things upside-down. Lacking the patience to handle an elleth who has lost her memory, he brings her to Caras Galadhon for someone else to deal with. **On Hold*
1. Default Chapter

Alright, well, this would be my third Lord of the Rings fic, I'm hopping that it will turn out to be the best of the three but we'll have to wait and see how it goes.

**Disclaimer: I write fanfiction purely for my own amusement and do not own anything you recognize as ****Tolkien****'s**

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Chapter 1: Questions

The bright sun trickled through the trees and into the forest of Lothlórien as noon time approached. All of the wildlife was awake and active with energy. The clouds danced across the sky and the water splashed through the rivers, just as it had always done before. Yet somehow, this day was different.

If you sat long enough and listened, you would notice subtle differences in the forest. The usual hum of animal chatter and the soft whisper of the trees had grown more intense. The calm order that could usually be found in the forest was no longer there. It was replaced by great commotion.

A new curiosity coupled with a hint of confusion hung in the air. Something was not right. It could hardly be described as wrong though. In fact, it was neither wrong nor right, it was just different. If you listened long enough and hard enough, you would be able to hear one word echoing softly through the forest; stranger.

It was this whispering that alerted the elves to the presence of another. Most did not take much notice of it, for few were listening so intently, and those that were knew that the patrol groups would handle the issue as they saw fit. There was never much of anything to worry about; the city of Caras Galadhorn was well protected.

It was this new change that had awoken the patrols from their lazy daydreams. Most had been sitting around the main patrol deck while the others went up to the northern border; orcs had been spotted there recently. They were all lounging around, casually talking to one another and waiting for their orders when a young blond elf raced up the stairs. He stopped in front of a tall elf with silver-blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He had a strong body frame and stern face.

"There is an intruder in the wood Captain Haldir," the elf said.

"Thank you Huor, many others have told me such, and I have heard it in the trees as well," Haldir replied smoothly, his eyes never leaving the map before him. He turned to one of his brothers, Rúmil, who stood at his side and issued a short series of commands before turning back to Huor.

Huor's excited mood calmed a bit by this point. He was disappointed to a small degree that Haldir dismissed the news he had brought so quickly. He had just joined the patrol groups and greatly admired Haldir. He was hoping to have brought him knew news in the hopes that Haldir would be impressed or at least think well of him. "None however know much about the intruder. Do you know anything?" Haldir continued.

"I only saw from a distance, but the intruder was just gaining consciousness and was unarmed. I am guessing that he or she was wounded but I am not assuming anything." Huor carefully observed Haldir to see how his captain would handle the situation. Learning from how Haldir handled the assorted situations he was met with would be the only way he would improve and rise in ranking among the wardens. As usual however, Haldir's face was unreadable. The only indication he gave that he was even considering Huor's words was a slight furrow of his brow.

Haldir took a moment to consider what he had been told. He would probably be able to go out himself and bring back the intruder if it was necessary, assuming it was not an orc of course. Should he bring other wardens with him just in case? His frown deepened. No, it was only one, he should be able to handle it and leave Orophin in charge for the time being. Rúmil already had his orders.

"How far away is this being?" he asked at last, resting his hands on the table and leaning over it marginally to fix his stern gaze on Huor.

"Four hours, my lord." Haldir eyes narrowed slightly as he thought. This meant he could be there in three if he made good time, two if he ran, and back possibly before the sun fell.

"You are positive that it carried no weapons?" he asked.

"Yes my lord," Huor replied, nodding his head vigorously.

"Where is it?" he asked, straightening and coming around to the other side of the table.

"It is just on the other side of the eastern river where the orcs were killed last night." Haldir tensed visibly, making Huor cringe. He knew Haldir was not pleased by this news in the least. Haldir wet his lips and cast his gaze to the ground, his frown deepening. This altered things slightly. The elves he had sent out to stop the party of orcs all said that they were positive that there was no life left. He hated careless mistakes. If there was one alive, there could possibly be more.

"Thank you Huor," he said at last, giving the young ellon an approving glance. "You have helped me greatly." Huor beamed with pride. "Orophin!" Haldir called.

"Yes, Haldir?" Orophin asked, arriving almost instantly. While Orophin was more at ease, a cheerful glow often encompassing him, he was no less proficient in battle and could be trusted to do things correctly.

"I am going out in search of the intruder, you are in charge, Rúmil has the orders for his patrol. Send the others on their way as you see fit. Ensure that extra care is taken near the Northern Edge." Orophin nodded and quickly Haldir set off through the patrol platforms in the direction of the intruder.

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A warm feeling washed over her as she slowly felt consciousness drift back into her body. First came her head, then her arms, her legs, then her lower body, and lastly her torso and neck. She slowly opened her eyes, which felt so heavy with exhaustion but shut them instantly at the searing pain that shot through her head. Why was it so bright?

She moaned and moved her head to the side, feeling something crunch softly under the weight of her cheek. She moved her hand up to her head, fingers lightly brushing over the back of her head where she found a large lump. How had that gotten there?

Carefully and slowly, she rolled over on her side. She propped herself up on her elbows, wincing at the soreness and stiffness she felt all over. What had happened to her? After a few moments, she managed to sit up. When the world stopped spinning, she carefully stood. She put her hand out to a near by tree and leaned on it for support. She was so tired. It was as though she had been running for hours and hours.

Looking at her surroundings, she yelped and felt tears well up. All around her were horrid looking creatures; all dead. Their faces were contorted into looks of pain and their eyes were still opened. It seemed as though some were looking straight at her. The ground was shattered with dark purple blood and long sticks protruded from the bodies of many of the creatures. Her stomach rolled and she dropped to her knees. A wave of nausea came over her, and she felt as though she would throw up at any moment.

What had happened here? So many questions plagued her mind. She was so alone and confused. Where was she? How had she gotten here? Her mind turned back to the creatures around her. Did they have families? It was of no matter now; they would never see them again if they did. What were they? She had never seen anything like them … or … at least …she thought she hadn't. Now that she stopped to take the time to think, she couldn't remember. She couldn't remember anything at all! Her mind was blank. She could not even recall her own name!

Panic worked its way into her mind and her breathing began to come quicker. What was she going to do? How was she going to live? She was all alone with no memory or knowledge of anything. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back the tears and took a deep breath. Panicking would not get her anywhere at all.

She opened her eyes again and looked around, examining her surroundings so she could decide what to do next. She was surrounded by trees, and there didn't appear to be an end to the forest. Behind her was a rushing river. It was fairly wide, perhaps about fifteen feet didn't appear to be too deep, yet it was flowing swiftly. If she was careful, she would be able to cross it safely.

She shivered as she stuck her foot in the water. It was so cold! She gingerly lowered herself into the river, the water swirling around her thighs. She felt the current push her legs from under her and she yelped as she plunged under the water. She flailed her arms out and grabbed hold of a rock. She pulled herself up out of the water and struggled to the other side of the river. Wiping the water from her eyes, she stood up and continued walking through the forest.

_Maybe someone is looking for me, _she thought. _Or maybe they left you in the forest because they didn't want you, _the irrational part of her mind retorted. She shook her head to clear away her thoughts and continued walking. As she walked, she looked around at the forest. The trees were immensely tall with silver trunks and bright green leaves. They filled her with a sense of comfort.

Small yet beautiful creatures with wings soared through the sky, singing beautiful tunes as they went; she could not remember what they were called though. She decided that she liked these creatures much better than the ones she had seen earlier. She shuddered visibly at the thought. She looked up at the sky, the clouds just barely visible through the treetops. She grinned as another one of the flying animals flew overhead, singing a beautiful song.

When she looked forward again, she found a person standing in front of her. He was tall with silver blond hair and eyes that were very blue. _Like some of the flying animals, _she thought. His ears were pointed and his face was stern. In his hand he held a long, curved piece of pale wood with a string joining the two ends, making it look like half of an oval. The other hand was used to hold a long stick with a triangular shaped blade on the end to the curved piece of wood.

She frowned and looked at the wooden stick in his hand. Her stomach lurched when she realized that she had seen the same sticks coming from out of the bodies of the ugly creatures she had seen earlier. This person was a killer! She gasped, recoiling away from him and debating in her mind what to do. If she ran, he might kill her, but if she didn't, who knew what would happen.

"What business do you have in the Golden Wood?" he asked firmly.

"I … I … I" Was this the Golden Wood? If it was, she did not know why she was here. She didn't even know how she had gotten there in the first place. Fear clouded her mind and she slowly began to back away from him.

"Well?" he said impatiently.

"I do not know," she whispered. His eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" he asked. Feeling like a cornered animal, she followed her instinct and ran. She screamed when she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"Let go of me! I did not do anything!" she yelled. _I hope I did not, _she added mentally.

"Who are you?!" he asked again.

"I do not know!" She brought his arm up to her mouth and bit it hard. He yelped and loosened his grip long enough for her to escape.

"If you run I will shoot you," he said warningly. She froze in her tracks and turned around. He held the wooden sticks in his hands again and they were aimed at her. He lowered his bow slightly and took a step forward. She instantly took a step back and winced as she hit something hard. She had backed into a tree. _I must have injuries on my back as well,_ she thought grimly.

She franticly looked around her for an escape. The man's eyes softened when he saw how afraid she was. He lowered his bow and held out his hand to her.

"Come, I mean you no harm," he said.

"Do you expect me to believe you after you threatened me?" He paused to think.

"Yes," he said after a moment.

"Why should I?"

"Because you are lost, and alone, and do not know where you are going," he replied. She bit her lip and looked down.

"Fine," she whispered. Eyes never leaving the ground, she took a step forward to stand next to him. He frowned as he looked her over. She was wearing a dress with an indeterminable color due to the amount of dirt and filth on it. Her dress was tattered and torn in many places as well. There appeared to be many bruises on her arms, legs and as well as on her face. Her long black hair was tangled and had a few leaves in it. What happened to her?

"What happened to you?" he asked, a frown creasing his brow.

"I don't remember," she replied quietly, not looking up to meet his eyes.

"Very well, you do not have to tell me if that is your wish. What is your name?"

"I do not know that either," she said.

"How can you not know your own name?" he asked, growing slightly impatient with her lack of cooperation.

"I do not remember," she said, looking at the ground. He rolled his eyes and started walking. She quickly followed, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Haldir, High Marchwarden of the Lothlórien guard," he replied, not bothering to look back at her.

"Why are your ears pointed?" Haldir raised his eyebrows at this question.

"Why are they pointed? What kind of question is that?"

"I don't know. Why are they pointed? Are they supposed to be that way? Did something happen to you? I imagine it would hurt a great deal if someone shaped them that way, unless you were born like that of course," she persisted.

"Yes they are supposed to be that way, I am an elf, like you," he said agitatedly. _She is probably trying to annoy me with stupid questions. I can not wait until I get rid of her. _

"I am an elf?"

"Yes," he replied with an irritated sigh.

"Oh," she said softly, frowning at the ground. "What is an elf?"

"What is wrong with you?!" he said, his patience snapping. "Why are you asking so many foolish questions?!"

"I do not know the answers," she mumbled, tears forming in her eyes. What had she done to offend him?

"How can you not know the answers to something so simple?!"

"I can not remember!" she shouted back. "I do not remember anything! Not even my own name! I do not know where I am or how I got here! I do not know why I am here either! That is how!" Haldir inhaled deeply, regarding her with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I see," he said with a frown. He turned and continued walking. _That is all he has to say to me? He isn't very social…s_he said thought to herself. She frowned and followed him. He did not speak to her after that, nor did he give any sign that he was conscious of her presence next to him. She timidly stole glances at Haldir as they walked, perplexed by him.

Haldir did the same of course, keenly observing the maiden when her attention was elsewhere. She was not of Lórien, that was for sure. No one in Lórien had hair that dark. She was possibly from Rivendell or Mirkwood, though there was no way to be sure. He could not determine her age either, as was the way with elves. He frowned, inwardly debating what to do with her. She would need to be taken to the city, there was no doubt about that, but until he could take her back, she also obviously needed to have medical treatment. Her appearance alone said much and the number of bruises on her arms suggested that more damage must have been done

After two hours of walking, she was starting to tire. How much longer did he plan on walking? Haldir noticed her fatigue but was reluctant to slow his pace, they were close anyway.

"How much farther do we have to go?" she asked.

"About two more hours," Haldir replied. She groaned.

"Where are we going?"

"To the city of Caras Galadhorn."

"Where is that?"

"In Lothlórien."

"Is that where we are now?"

"Yes."

"What is an elf?"

"Why don't you stop asking questions hm? I think that is a good idea."

"If you do not tell me the answers then who will?"

"Someone who has the patience to deal with you will."

"Why don't you? You are the only one here and we have to travel for two more hours. It would be awkward to walk in silence."

"Well for me it would be pleasurable," he assured her.

"If I am an elf, does that mean that I have pointed ears too?"

"Why don't you feel for yourself." She raised her eyebrows in mild surprise when she found that they were in fact pointed.

"Do all elves have pointed ears?"

"No, only the special ones," he said dryly.

"Really?"

"No."

"So all elves have them?"

"Yes."

"What else to elves do?"

"Not ask questions."

"You are just saying that."

"If only," he mumbled. _Aye Valar.__ The forest was not jesting when it claimed that there was a disturbance. A nuisance would have been more accurate of course, _he thought.

_Do not ignore her questions, _a voice whispered in his mind. _She is alone and confused. She does not ask the questions to be annoying. She merely wants to find out who and what she is. _

_I lack patience __Lady __Galadriel_ Haldir replied to the voice in his mind. Lady Galadriel had the power to communicate to people inside their minds, and often did so.

_Then you had best find it, _she said sternly. Before Haldir could reply, she was gone. Haldir sighed.

"You look very thoughtful," the she-elf said.

"I was thinking," Haldir replied.

"So I noticed. Will you tell me what an elf is now?" she asked.

"Very well. Elves are the fairest beings in all of Middle Earth." She cut him off before he could continue.

"Where is that?"

"You are in it right now."

"I thought I was in Lothlórien."

"Lothlórien is a part of Middle Earth."

"Oh, how big is Middle Earth?"

"Bigger than you can imagine."

"Is Lothlórien big?"

"Substantially so, yes."

"Tell me more about elves." Haldir sighed and continued, pausing every now and then so that she could ask a question.

"Elves are immortal."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"They never die unless they are killed in battle. They can also die of a broken heart," he answered

"What is that?"

"Being broken hearted is when you feel very sad because of something that happened, and you no longer want to live," he explained

"How sad."

"Yes, it is very sad," Haldir agreed. She frowned when she noticed a certain tinge of sorrow flitter across his features. It left almost as quickly as it came, but there was no mistaking that it had been there.

"Is everyone immortal?" she asked, changing the subject.

"No. Only elves, and wizards."

"I wish I was not immortal."

"Why is that?" he asked.

"What happens if you are friends with beings that are not immortal? You must watch them die. And if something terrible happens to the world around you, you can not do anything about it. You must sit and watch. There is no way to escape it." Haldir frowned. For someone who knew nothing about anything, she seemed rather sensible. "Tell me more," she requested.

"Elves also have excellent hearing and vision. We make no noise when we walk."

"How?" Haldir opened his mouth to speak but then paused

"I do not know, I never thought about actually. I just accepted it."

"Well that seems silly. There is a reason for everything. Anything else?"

"We are immune to sickness and cold."

"Is that all?"

"More or less. Perhaps Lady Galadriel will tell you of the history of the elves if you do not drive her to insanity," he said.

"Perhaps." She smiled widely as another one of the flying creatures flew overhead.

"What are those animals called?" she asked, pointing to the sky  
"Those are birds." She frowned at the word, pausing in her steps. A dull ache entered the back of her mind as images flashed before her eyes. She shook her head, frowning in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" Haldir asked.

"No, I … I think I remember something," she said perplexed. Haldir raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.

"You do?"

"Yes, I remember a big tall tree. And there is a platform with a roof on top."

"A talan?"

"Yes, a talan! And there are elves, like me, laughing and smiling. And there are many of those…those…animals-"

"Birds?" She nodded

"There are many birds. Everyone is happy."

"Do you remember anything else?"

"No, just the talan and that there are birds there…and a few elves."

"Did it help you remember your name?" he asked hopefully. She sighed.

"No. I still remember nothing about who I am."

"Do you know where it was?" She shook her head.

"No. It was different from the trees here though. They were not silver and they did not glow as much." Haldir frowned.

"You are sure you do not remember your name?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well I can not just run around calling you elleth," Haldir said.

"Will you give me a name?" she asked.

"You want me to name you?"

"Of course. Why not?" He paused to think.

"Very well. You shall be called Aldarina," he said.

"Aldarina? Alright." She smiled widely and looked up at the sky. "I like that name." Haldir smiled as some of the sadness and confusion left her eyes. They continued walking in silence, Aldarina enjoying the beauty around her while Haldir contemplated the fastest way to her to Caras Galadhorn and more importantly, away from him.

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A/N: Alright so how was that? I've been trying to work on how I write Haldir, did I do well? And for those of you that are wondering, Aldarina means "hidden memory". Fitting ne? Feedback appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2: Travel

Thanks so much for the feedback everyone! I'm glad you all like this story thus far! While updates might be coming kinda slow as school is starting up for me soon (as in like, in two days), I fully intend to finish the story. Thanks again for the support!

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Chapter 2: Travel

They arrived at one of the main patrol platforms just before sunset. Haldir beckoned for Aldarina to follow him up the ladder, but she shrunk away in fear. She heard many loud voices, all of which unnerved her.

"You have nothing to fear, they are just the other wardens," he assured her.

"Will they hurt me?" she asked timidly. Haldir frowned and looked over his shoulder at her, taken somewhat aback by the question.

"No. Why would they?"

"You nearly did," she pointed out. _And apparently someone before you, _she added mentally. Haldir sighed. He really did not have time for this. He had to ensure that the most recent group had already gone out and that all the others had checked in with him. A frightened elleth suffering from amnesia was the last thing he needed.

"I give you my word Aldarina, they will not hurt you," he said with a sigh. Aldarina frowned and slowly stepped forward with a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. She followed Haldir up the ladder and began climbing to the top, grimacing at the stiffness in her legs. What was it from? She sighed, shaking her head. She was hardly in the mood for more questions. Already she felt exhausted both physically and mentally.

When she reached the top of the ladder, Aldarina was shocked at the number of people on the talan. She felt her fear take hold again when she saw that they all carried the sharp metal sticks that Haldir had, as well as other long, metal things that looked very sharp. They could all easily hurt her! What was Haldir thinking?!

Haldir frowned when he heard a high pitched gasp escape her lips and felt her grip the back of his tunic and hide behind him.

"Haldir! What did you find?" an elf called. Aldarina squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that she would miraculously disappear from the sight of others or perhaps melt into the floor.

"Aldarina let go," he said prompted gently, looking over his shoulder at her. Aldarina shook her head and refused to open her eyes.

"No." Haldir sighed.

"You are being foolish," he remarked.

"I do not care," she replied.

"Aldarina trust me, no harm will come to you."

"Why should I trust you?"

"If not me then who else?" he replied expectantly. After a few moments, he felt her let go and then stepped to the side to that everyone could see her. Haldir smiled in satisfaction, pleased with himself for convincing her to confront the other wardens. Aldarina chewed at her bottom lip and stared intently at the floor, nervously wringing her hands.

The numerous ellons on the platform turned to look at the young elleth standing next to Haldir. Many were confused by her presence. _This_ was what had caused such a disturbance in the forest? A mere elleth? Rúmil walked over to Haldir and put his hand on his brother's shoulder.

"What do you plan to do with her?" he asked.

"She will stay here tonight. The city is too far for her to travel, she is very tired. She also has many wounds that need to be taken care of." Rúmil nodded.

"I will see what medical supplies we have with us," Rúmil replied.

"Thank you Rúmil," Haldir replied. He turned and gently wrapped his fingers around her wrist, leading her to the back end of the talan where many small cots were lined up. Aldarina stared at the floor, doing her best to ignore the many stares she was receiving. She sat down on one of the beds and looked around, feeling relieved. There was no one else here except for Haldir. She glanced behind her and saw two others that looked like Haldir. From the way they interacted with Haldir, she guessed that Haldir trusted them and therefore declared them safe to be around. Aldarina looked up at Haldir expectantly.

"What are we doing?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.

"I am getting medication for your wounds. They should be treated soon," he explained.

"Oh, very well," she replied. Aldarina frowned, realizing that she had no idea what medication was.

"Haldir?" she called.

"Yes?"

"What is medication?" she asked. Haldir rolled his eyes. She was not joking when she said she remembered nothing. Rúmil and Orophin heard her ask this and exchanged perplexed glances.

"Medication is a substance that heals wounds," Haldir clarified. Haldir took the jar of ointment from Rúmil and walked to sit next to Aldarina. Haldir took one of her arms in his hand and found a deep scrape running up the underside of her arm. Haldir poured water on a piece of cloth and gently wiped the wound, trying to clean it off. She gritted her teeth against the sharp stinging that followed

Aldarina studied the jar in his hand as he opened it and poured a small amount on a clean cloth. He gently dabbed it on the scrape, making sure to cover the area completely. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes at the burning sensation that followed. Haldir tightened his grip when Aldarina tried to struggle away from him.

"Hold still and it will hurt less," he advised. Aldarina bit her lip and stopped moving, waiting until he let go before she tried to make her escape. The next time he came near her with the medication, she jumped back, moving away so that the bed was between her and Haldir. Haldir sighed with impatience.

"I am not finished yet," he said tersely. Aldarina glared.

"I do not care, that was painful and I will not allow you to do it again," she shot back, crossing her arms in front of her chest and lifting her chin defiantly. Haldir rolled his eyes.

"Yes and it will be twice as painful if you do not let me care for your wounds and they begin to fester and spread sickness throughout your body. Now come." Aldarina glared, not liking his autocratic tone, and reluctantly moved back to where he was, a distrusting frown creasing her brow. It still stung just as much when he applied the salve, but this time, Aldarina did not move. She did not know what a disease was, but she was sure that she did not want one. Perhaps it was another type of animal that followed you around when you were injured, and a nasty looking one at that.

Once he was through with the scrape on her arm, Haldir moved toward the back of her neck, finding very shallow scratches there. He moved aside the fabric of her gown and found that the scratches continued down the length of her back and appeared to get worse and worse the farther they went down. He sighed.

"You will need to remove your dress," he said at last. Aldarina looked back at him with a glare.

"I will not!" she protested. Haldir lifted an eyebrow.

"Yes. You will. I won't look at you, you have my word, but I need to tend to the scrapes on your back."

"I see, so you won't look at me, but you need to see me to fix my scrapes, is that right?" Haldir rolled his eyes.

"That is not what I meant," he replied agitatedly. Aldarina stubbornly crossed her arms.

"I will be just fine," she replied sternly. Haldir's eyes narrowed and he sent a glare at his brothers when he heard them snicker.

"You will remove it willingly or I will strip you down by force," he said, his tone indicating that there was no way around it. Aldarina glared and turned her back to him, reluctantly removing the tattered material from her skin. She awkwardly crossed her arms over her chest, not liking the fact that she was not wearing anything to cover her upper body. This time, a burning, searing pain lanced up her back when Haldir applied the healing salve. She cried out and arched away from him, trying to escape the pain. Haldir rested a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her in place and continued to clean the wounds. Haldir helped her to bandage them and then let her put the dress back on.

After that was done, he gave her a brush, instructing her to fix her hair while he was gone. Aldarina glared at him as he left the room. He was far too bossy. Someone needed to put him in his place, that was for sure. Grudgingly, she set to the task of getting all the knots out of her hair. A part of her wanted to be defiant and not brush out her hair just to spite him, but from the way it felt, she reconsidered and thought better of it. Though it took her an hour, she finally managed to get all the knots and leaves out of her long black hair. Haldir had returned by then and was pleased to find that she had listened to him.

"Long hair is annoying," she decidedly informed him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"It looks much better now," he assured her.

"I suppose. But looks don't really matter do they? As long as you are a nice person that is," she said thoughtfully, lying down on the bed. Haldir quirked an eyebrow, mildly surprised by such a statement. There were few he knew that would admit that looks did not matter to them.

"On the contrary," he began, suddenly feeling quite defiant, "your appearance can be half the battle. I'm sure that if I had showed up for my test to become a warden looking as you do now, I would not have passed."

"I don't think you would pass much of anything wearing a dress," she replied with a frown. Haldir rolled his eyes.

"You know what I meant," he replied. Aldarina gave him a cheeky smile from where she sat. After a moment, a curious frown crossed her features.

"Am I allowed to sleep now?" she asked, rolling on her side to face him. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Yes, you may get some rest; we have a long day tomorrow." Aldarina curled up in a ball and instantly fell asleep. When Haldir walked out of the back room, he was bombarded with questions from his brothers.

"Who is she?" Rúmil asked.

"I do not know."

"Why does she ask such ridiculous questions?" Rúmil asked again.

"She lost her memory."

"The poor elleth. She does not know anything?" Orophin asked incredulously.

"No, nothing. She did not even know she was an elf let alone what one was," Haldir replied, running a hand through his hair, feeling rather exasperated.

"Perhaps the Lady will be able to help her," Orophin said after a moment of thought. Haldir sighed, looking back at where Aldarina was sleeping.

"Yes, perhaps."

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As soon as Aldarina fell asleep she seemed to be transported into another world. Rain spattered against her face as she ran and turned the green grass below her feet into a muddy swamp. Her lungs burned and her legs ached for rest, yet something pushed her forward. She did not know why, she did not even know why she was here let alone where "here" was, yet she knew that she had to keep running. She cast a glance to her side and another two people, elves, were running beside her. Both had raven hair. One was female who appeared to be a bit older than she was. In her arms she held a young male whose eyes still held the innocence of childhood.

"We have to hurry," the elleth said urgently. Aldarina nodded and kept running.

A bright glow seemed to come from behind her and her back felt very warm. Aldarina cast a fleeting glance over her shoulder and gasped. Tall yellow flames smoldered and flickered in the night. Columns of smoke rose from them as the rain hit. Screams and shouts filled her ears, as well as the bloodcurdling cries of a creature she was sure she never wanted to meet.

Great sadness and fear clenched at her heart, causing tears to flow freely down her face and mingle with the icy rain water which was now pouring on her in buckets. She gave a cry of surprise, reaching out to the elleth who was running with her for help, when she was tackled from behind, and her body connected with something hard.

Her eyes cleared and she shook her head, frowning when she discovered that she was no longer running, but sitting on the hard wooden floor of the patrol talan. She must have seen pictures when she slept, but it felt so real. How was that possible?

Aldarina stood and walked out of the room, deciding not to sleep anymore because it brought bad pictures to her mind. She wasn't sure why this happened, it was really quite odd. Perhaps it only happened sometimes. Valar forbid it would happen to her every night! She was unsure she would want the floor to rudely awake her in such a fashion every single time she tried to rest. Her frown deepened, she was now horridly confused.

Haldir woke just after Aldarina; the sound of her falling on the floor had startled him out of his sleep. When he cleared his eyes of sleep, he discovered that Aldarina was no longer in the resting room. He stood and walked out of the room, finding her sitting on the edge of the platform, leaning back on her hands and swinging her legs over the side. Her head was tilted up at the sky and she had a puzzled smile on her face, as though she was trying to sort out something. He walked over and leaned against the trunk of the tree that came up through the platform, next to where she was sitting.

"You should be sleeping," he said.

"I decided that I do not like sleeping," replied. The corners of his mouth curled into an amused smile.

"Why is that?" he asked, curious to hear her unique reasoning.

"It brings bad pictures with it," she said simply. Haldir frowned

"You had a bad dream?" he asked.

"What is a dream?"

"Something that you imagine when you sleep," he explained. Haldir opened his mouth to elaborate and explain how a dream could be something you desired, but then thought better of it. It would only bring about more of those annoying questions.

"Oh, well then yes, I had a bad dream. It was frightening," she said, shuddering at the memory.

"What was it about?"  
"I do not know really. I was running from a big fire, and it was raining, and there was a lot of screaming and shouting coming from behind me. A young female carrying a smaller male ran beside me. She told me I had to hurry. Then something tackled me and then I woke up on the floor," she replied thoughtfully. Haldir frowned.

"Dreams are not real," he replied after a moment of consideration. "No matter how real your mind makes them," he added when she opened her mouth to reply. Aldarina smiled and then looked up at the sky.

"What are all of those sparkling things in the sky?" she asked curiously. Haldir cast his glance to the night sky, the comforting glow of the moon filling him with a sense of security.

"Is that what you were looking at?"

"Yes, I was trying to figure out how they got there. Do you think someone put them there?"

"They are called stars. I do not know how they got there however," Haldir answered, looking up at the sky.

"I like to imagine that someone took a handful of them and threw them up at the sky. They never fell down because they got stuck," she said. Haldir smiled. _She is like an elfling, _he thought, amused by the prospect of it. "That one is my favorite," she said, pointing to a star with a reddish tinge to it. Haldir looked up at the sky, trying to follow the line where her finger was pointing.

"The red one?" he asked. Aldarina nodded.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it is different from the others. It does not look the same as everything else, like me. I noticed that my hair is darker than all of yours, and I imagine my eyes are different as well. They are not blue, are they?" she asked, looking towards him. Haldir shook his head.

"No, they are grey-green." Aldarina smiled.

"Like the trees," she mused. "Anyway, that star is also the first one that I saw. Something was blocking me from seeing them before," she explained.

"You mean clouds?" Haldir asked, trying to understand what she was talking about.

"If that is what they are called then yes. I will look for something similar in the sky tomorrow when there is more light," she said. "When does the sun come up?" she asked.

"Soon. In a few hours maybe."

"Why does it hide every night? Doesn't it like to see the stars? I would be sad if I could not see them," she said with a frown. Haldir sighed, this would be a long discussion if she continued with questions like these.

"The sun follows a cycle across the sky. It cannot stay up forever, then there would be no time for the moon to come out," he replied, trying to put it as simply as he could.

"I think I will try to find a way to capture the light of the stars so that the sun can see it when it comes up again," she said resolutely. A soft chuckle escaped Haldir's lips.

"You are more than welcome to try," he replied. Aldarina looked back at him with a smile. He was gazing up at the sky, a soft smile at his lips. Haldir was leaning against a tree that came up through the middle of the platform with his strong arms crossed across his broad chest.

"Where are your sticks?" she asked curiously, noticing that they were gone from his back.

"My what?" he asked with a frown.

"Your sticks; the wooden things with a black pointy part at the end. You had a curved piece of wood too right?" Haldir's frown deepened. "And a bunch of sharp metal things as well if I am not mistaken."

"Oh my arrows!" he said, suddenly understanding. "The sticks you speak of are called arrows. The curved piece of wood is a bow. You use the bow to shoot the arrow. The sharp metal things are called swords or knives," he explained.

"Why do they have two names? That seems silly to me," she said.

"Well a knife is smaller than a sword."

"They look the same to me, even if one is smaller," she replied defiantly.

"They are used differently."

"Oh, well then I suppose two names are appropriate then. Does everyone have them?"

"No, usually only males carry them."

"Do females have them?"

"Not usually."

"Why not?"

"Because elleths rarely are trained to use them."

"Elleths?"

"Female elves. Male elves are ellons."

"Oh. Why do …elleths not learn to use them?"

"Most do not want to, and fighting can be dangerous."

"If it is dangerous then why do males do it?"

"Well someone needs to protect the others," he replied.

"Why not let the elleths participate as well?"

"They have other tasks to do in their homes."

"Don't you have things to do in your home as well?"

"Are you purposely being difficult?" Haldir asked. Aldarina frowned.

"No," she replied, unsure of why he asked. "I was just curious." Haldir raised his eyebrows, realizing that all her questions were asked innocently. She was not trying to obnoxious, she was genuinely curious. Haldir smiled, realizing that he would probably never find anyone so untouched and unaffected by life and the difficulties it brought. He shook his head and smiled.

"You should try to get some more rest, we have a long way to go tomorrow," he said.

"But what if I have a dream again?" Aldarina asked, fear filling her eyes.

"Not all dreams are bad, some are quite pleasant actually." Aldarina frowned, thinking it over. Maybe her new dream would have birds in it.

"Alright, I will try to sleep," she said after a moment. Soon after, Haldir and Aldarina had both fallen asleep again, neither dreaming about anything.

* * *

Haldir woke Aldarina early the next morning. They still had a few more miles to go before the reached the city. Rúmil, Orophin and Huor traveled with them as well, each having finished their shifts at work. They walked in silence, content to simply admire what was around them.

"Are those clouds Haldir?" Aldarina asked, pointing to the sky. Haldir smiled.

"Yes, that is what was blocking you from seeing the stars," he replied. Huor frowned. What was going on?

"Oh, they are very pretty. I like them better in the day though. They look black at night. That one looks like a…what was it called, the one that makes this sound." Aldarina licked her lips and whistled shrilly, making an almost perfect imitation of a bird. Haldir raised his eyebrows in surprise.  
"A bird?" he asked.

"Yes, that's what it was. That cloud looks like a bird. Well not any more, now it looks like nothing."

"Haldir?" Huor started. Maybe Haldir knew why this elleth appeared to know nothing.

"I've lost my memory," Aldarina said before Haldir could answer. "I assume that is what you wanted to know," she added, looking back at him with a smirk. Huor frowned.

"Oh, I am sorry," Huor replied.

"I suppose I am as well. There are two sides to it really. It is confusing, not knowing what is going on around you, but it is also like being reborn, or so I would assume. You get to relive everything a second time. Most do not get that opportunity…at least I think," she said thoughtfully.

"For someone who remembers nothing, she seems rather intelligent," Rúmil whispered to Orophin.

"Do you remember anything at all?" Huor asked.

"No," she replied simply.

"Not even your name?"

"No."

"I thought you said your name was Aldarina, that is a pretty name by the way," Rúmil said.

"Well thank you, Haldir picked it out, so you should thank him really. Since I couldn't remember my old name, he gave me a new one," she said happily. Orophin frowned.

"The name suits you," he said wirily.

"Do you think so?" she asked.

"It means "hidden memory"," Rumil remarked. Aldarina frowned, it _did _suit her, sadly enough. While the name sounded elegant, it's meaning did not do much for her. Her real name was probably something far more elegant and meaningful than "Aldarina". Her frown deepened as she tried to see if she could remember her true name. She had no such luck of course. When looking back, the farthest her mind would allow her to go was the day she had awakened. Aldarina shuddered at the thought of the creatures that had surrounded her when she gained consciousness. She hoped to never encounter them again.

Pushing the dark and depressing thoughts from her mind, Aldarina lifted her head to the skies, observing the white clouds that passed overhead. Their rather cheerful appearance soon replaced the darkness that had previously overwhelmed her.

"I wonder how the clouds got up there," Aldarina said suddenly. "Do you think someone put them there, like the stars?" she wondered aloud.

"Who knows," Haldir replied.

"Who cares?" Rúmil muttered. Haldir shot his brother a warning look.

"I do," Aldarina said simply, overlooking the sarcasm in Rúmil's comment. Haldir smirked. She did not know how to recognize sarcasm yet. "Don't you Haldir?" she asked. Haldir smiled.

"Of course," he replied, deciding to appease her for now. He'd already figured out that agreeing with her often meant she would ask fewer questions. This saved his energy and kept him from terrible headaches.

"When do we get to the city? I imagine it will be quite pretty," she asked.

"In a few hours," Rúmil replied.

"There are elves there right?"

"Yes, unless something has happened that we do not know about," Rúmil said with a frown. Aldarina gasped.

"Do you think something has happened to them? Is that why there are no others wandering the forest?" she asked, panic in her voice.

"Probably," Rúmil said with a nod. Aldarina's eyes widened. Haldir swatted Rúmil over the head.

"Aldarina, Rúmil was simply joking. Nothing has happened to the elves. They are all safe in the city," he replied, trying to sooth the panicked elleth. Aldarina frowned.

"You are not very funny Rúmil. I think you should have someone teach you to make jokes properly," she informed him with a hint of arrogance. Rúmil frowned, trying to find a comeback until he realized that she was serious.

"Someone to teach me?"

"Of course. People teach all kinds of things, why not jokes as well?" she asked.

"Because jokes are not practical. You do not need them," he replied simply.

"Well just now you did and you were not equipped properly," she said matter-of-factly.

"Well… well… well so what?!" Rúmil exclaimed. Aldarina snickered and put a hand over her mouth.

"My point exactly." The conversation died away after this and the five elves walked in silence, Aldarina pondering how it was possible that they made no noise. At first she thought it might be because they were not really walking but floating. She spent the better part of half an hour keenly observing everyone's feet as they walked. She confirmed that this theory was wrong, and discarded it, racking her brain for a new one. Two hours later they arrived at the city gates. Haldir called up to a guard at the top and the great gates were opened. Aldarina gasped and smiled widely when they entered the city.

"It is beautiful. Do you live here?" she asked.

"Yes," Orophin answered.

"I wish I had a… a…. um….a talan! Yes, a talan, I wish I had a talan here. This is a very nice place to live. Are there birds here?" she asked with a smile.

"No," Orophin replied dryly. Aldarina's smile faded.

"Oh," she said, feeling a bit dejected. Orophin sighed.

"I was joking, there are birds just about everywhere you go." Aldarina's smile returned upon hearing this and she gleefully continued up the steps of a giant tree. They spiraled around and around endlessly, causing Aldarina to think twice about her wish for a talan. If it involved this much walking, she would probably be better off on the ground. When they finally reached the top, she felt as though her lungs were on fire.

_Just like in the picture I saw when I slept, _she thought grimly. Aldarina frowned and looked at her surroundings. She appeared to be standing in the middle of a giant platform, big enough for at least forty other people.

"Come this way," Haldir said, guiding her to the front center of it. She shrugged and followed. "Wait here and then the Lady will come and speak to you." Aldarina nodded and patiently waited. For the time being, she was content to look at her surroundings. She would deal with the Lady when she came, whoever she was.

* * *

A/N: So there be-eth it, what does everyone think of it thus far? Good, bad? Let me know! I'm eager to hear from you all!

**Reviewer Responses:**

**ShaneLover1: **Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it!

**Sandy: **Thank you for the typo pointing-out-ness. And by the way you are a fool, but I love you anyway. … … TOAST ATTACK! Hehe

**Shadow of the Ages: **Yup, Aldarina is an elven name. I kinda cheated and used a mixture of Sindarin and Quenya to make it, but hey, this is fanfiction right?

**RiRiana: **Thanks for the review! I've been working hard on this story thus far.

**Anonymous: **Thanks! I think Aldarina is rather amusing as well actually.

**SilverWinter: **You're right actually, no one is really content with how they are and chances are, elves aren't that different in that respect. Well said! ::applauds:: Eesh, I know, there were a bunch of typos. I went back and fixed them though.

**Beth: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you think I've been writing Haldir well in this fic, I'm trying to work on that.

**Jullez: **I think her name is very pretty actually. Thanks for the review!

**Dragonfly: **Don't worry, Upheaval won't be cast aside in place of this story, even though the plot bunny for this one has been running wild in my mind.

**Nirobie: **I liked her name as well, it took me a while to make it though.

**Fuji**** the Hobbit: **Don't worry, none of my other stories will fall aside so that I can write this one. I'll be sure to keep updating the others.

**Haldir's Heart and Soul: **Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this so far.


	3. Chapter 3: Conversations

Eesh, a long time since I last updated, sorry for the delay but thank you for the feedback!

* * *

Chapter 3: Conversations

Aldarina stared down at her feet, nervously wringing her hands as she waited for the Lord and Lady to appear. Who were they? From the way Haldir had spoke of them, she assumed they were the leaders of this place. Perhaps they knew who she really was. Maybe one of them would be able to tell her where she came from.

She sighed and looked up at the set of stairs before her. Aldarina frowned when a soft light began growing before her eyes. It grew brighter until finally, she had to look away and shield her eyes from its blinding power. When the light faded, she returned her gaze to the stairs and found two beautiful, regal figures before her, one male the other female. The female had flowing blond hair and piercing blue eyes. The male at her side had grey eyes and sliver hair that gleamed. Aldarina frowned, unsure of how to go about addressing them.

"I am glad to see you have made it here in good time," the Lady said with a kind smile. "I have been eager to meet you." Aldarina bit her lip and cast her eyes to the ground. The two were almost perfect. She felt small in comparison. Aldarina toyed with the material of her dress, wishing she was more presentable.

"Haldir tells us that you have no memory of who you are," the Lord began. Aldarina shook her head.

"No my lord," she said quietly, tears pricking the corner of her eyes.A sense of security filled her when she felt a warm tingling sensation sweep through her mind. The sensation left almost as soon as it came however and her body felt cold and numb. She looked back up at the Lord and Lady and caught the look of pity in the Lady's eyes. Aldarina frowned. Why should the Lady pity her? She had no reason to at all.

"Until we know more of who you are, you may stay here," the Lady said at last. Aldarina smiled gratefully.

"Thank you my lady," she said with a nod.

"Haldir, bring Aldarina to one of the spare guest rooms," the Lord requested. Haldir, who had been standing near the back with his arms folded across his chest nodded and walked to the stairs. He stopped and bowed to the Lord and Lady before waving Aldarina toward him. Aldarina gave the Lord and Lady a smile of gratitude, unsure of how to go about addressing them, and then followed Haldir.

She reached the edge of the steps and felt her stomach lurch at the sight of how far down the ground was. The stairs wound about the tree endlessly, the ground below them a dark haze. Aldarina felt her breath come quicker as the ground spiraled towards her. Screams filled her ears as the smell of smoke filled her nostrils.

"Are you coming?" Aldarina jumped away from the edge, the screams abruptly ending. The smell of smoke lingered however and Aldarina could not seem to catch her breath. She looked up and saw Haldir waiting patiently a few steps down, a slight arch to his dark eyebrows. Aldarina nodded and stepped forward again, swallowing nervously as she tried to gather enough courage to take the first step.

Aldarina felt herself begin to tremble. She couldn't do it, if she moved her foot she would lose her balance and fall, she was sure of it. Aldarina swallowed and mentally berated herself for her own weakness. She squeezed her eyes shut when the same warm, tingling feeling took hold of her mind. This time, she felt her fears begin to grow and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Just like before, the feeling quickly vanished. Her fear did not leave with it however.

"Is something wrong?" Haldir asked expectantly. Aldarina bit her lip and looked up at him.

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "It…I just-"

"Haldir," the Lady called. "Before Lady Aldarina is shown to her room, I would like to speak with her. You need not worry, I will show her to her room myself when we are finished conversing." Aldarina felt herself sigh with relief as she backed away from the staircase. Haldir nodded in response to the Lady's statement and briskly continued down the steps.

Lady Galadriel walked towards Aldarina and rested a hand on her shoulder. Aldarina turned and quickly cast her eyes to the ground, unable to meet the Lady's piercing gaze.

"You are afraid," the Lady said quietly. Aldarina bit her lip.

"Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"No, it was a … feeling that I had," Galadriel replied. "Come, you are probably in need of a proper bath and a new dress." Aldarina managed a small smile.

"Thank you my lady, you are very kind," Aldarina replied. Galadriel smiled warmly and led Aldarina to the talan she shared with her husband, Lord Celeborn.

"There is a washroom here that you may use," Galadriel explained as she entered the talan. After leading Aldarina through a series of rooms, they arrived at a small, yet elegant room with a finished wooden floor. Branches and vines had formed around the room to form an impermeable wall that shielded those within from anyone outside. Galadriel lit a lamp that hung down from the ceiling and pulled a towel out from a cabinet in the corner. Aldarina observed the room, feeling slightly uncomfortable, as though she was an intruder.

"If you turn this lever, water will come down from the storage basin and fill the tub so that you may bathe," Galadriel said, pointing to the small knob on the side of the tub. Aldarina nodded.

"Thank you, my lady," she said quietly. Galadriel set down the towel and sighed, walking over to Aldarina and lightly clasping her forearms.

"Child, you need not feel you are a burden, nor should you feel as though you are intruding here."

"But, I have done nothing for you," Aldarina said with a frown. "Why are you helping me?"

"It is my pleasure to give you aid in a time such as this," Galadriel replied. Aldarina looked up at the Lady with a genuine smile. Galadriel returned the smile and laughed softly.

"Go and enjoy your bath. I will return with a nightgown for you."

"Am I to stay here?" Aldarina asked.

"You may use my daughter's room for tonight," Galadriel replied. Aldarina smiled.

"You have a daughter? May I meet her some time?" she asked. Aldarina frowned when she saw Galadriel's eyes mist over. The regal elleth quickly masked the emotion and a kind smile graced her face once more.

"She no longer lives here," Galadriel replied smoothly. Aldarina nodded and waited for Galadriel to leave before undressing. Though she knew the Lady strove to hide it, there was no mistaken the mournful undercurrent in her words. Aldarina could not help but wonder what had happened to Galadriel's daughter, hopefully nothing _too _terrible. Aldarina gingerly removed the tattered remains of her dress and filled the bathtub. Her whole body ached, she was definitely in need of a bath.

* * *

Haldir sighed wearily as he climbed the stairs that led to his talan, his thoughts clouded. Despite his fatigue, he held his posture and continued up the stairs as though he was still alert. He was weary from his journey home and from his long weeks at the fences but he would not let anyone see this. He prided himself on his discipline and vigilance. Showing any sign that he had breeched his own standards would somehow compromise a part of him, or so he thought.

Haldir practically sighed with relief when he reached the staircase leading to the set of talans belonging to him and his brothers. As Haldir mounted the stairs, beginning the ascent towards his own talan, he silently cursed the fact that he was the eldest; it meant his talan was the highest one up of the three.

He frowned when he reached his front door and found a light glowing from within. Who was in his home? Haldir pulled the key off its spot above the doorframe and unlocked the door, returning it to its place before entering his home. He felt his stomach sink at the sight of Nuldanna bustling about the main room of his home. She jumped, nearly dropping the bag in her hands in the process, when she saw him enter.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, trying to mask the weariness and irritation within him. Of all the times for her to show up, she had to come now when he was at his wits end.

"I was gathering the last of my belongings," she replied timidly, tossing the bag into a box on the table before her.

"I would have expected you to finish with such a task by now. It has been well over a month," he said curtly. Haldir winced, he had come off sharper than he had intended. She would know how he felt now, something which he certainly did not want. Nuldanna sighed and approached him, resting a hand on Haldir's shoulder. She felt a pang of regret when the steely, corded muscles beneath her fingertips grew tense at her touch.

"Haldir," she began quietly. "You…you understand why I did what I did?" Haldir stepped away from her, unstrapping his quiver and resting it in the corner near the door. Nuldanna bit her lip, hugging her self in an effort to repress her guilt.

"I understand well enough," Haldir replied, his tone indifferent. "It is for the best that we go separate ways." Nuldanna sighed and made an effort to follow Haldir as he busied himself around the room.

"Will you not meet my gaze?" she asked quietly. Haldir paused in rearranging the papers he had sitting on the corner of a small table near his favorite armchair and looked back at her with hard eyes. Nuldanna bit her lip as she approached him.

"You are upset," she said, her voice pained as she nervously wrung her hands behind her back.

"It matters not if I am upset with you," Haldir replied, dismissing her concern flippantly. "What I feel should not be of your concern in the first place."

"I do not want to end on a bad note," Nuldanna said softly, her voice almost pleading.

"An odd thing to wish for," Haldir replied, his eyes narrowing. "I assumed you would have considered such a thing long ago." Nuldanna sighed morosely and looked away. He _was _angry with her, very angry. Whether he showed it or not, she could almost feel it. Having spent much of her time with him over the past year, she had developed an ability to tell his moods and temperaments. She should have expected it though, she knew him well enough. None the less, she could never have anticipated how much his disregard towards her hurt; that was one factor she had _not _considered. Once again, Haldir distanced himself from her, removing his boots and placing them at the door.

"This would have come eventually. You cannot tell me you did not see it."

"I had sensed it," he admitted. "But unlike you, I did not rashly act upon it." Haldir cringed inwardly. He had made it obvious that he was upset. Now she would know and try to offer him her sympathy. He did not need her; he had gone back to the fences to prove such. Time apart had allowed him time to mend the damage she had done to his heart. Her sympathy and affections would only undo the work he had so meticulously completed while at the borders.

"I am sorry," she said quietly, staring down at her feet.

"Your apology is needless," he replied, regarding her with a haughty stare. "I do not need your pity or your sympathy."

Nuldanna grasped the box that contained her belongings tightly in her hands, feeling anger build within her. She had apologized, she could do nothing more. She expected him to at least show some kind of gratitude that and acknowledge her guilt. But no, it would cost him too much of his pride. She bit her lip and walked to the door. Nuldanna looked to Haldir apologetically, trying to come up with something to say. Haldir's eyes narrowed slightly and he opened the door for her, waiting patiently for her to leave. Nuldanna stopped at the doorway and turned to Haldir.

"I _did _care for you," she admitted, "I still do." Haldir pursed his lips and looked away, a silent signal that he wished for her to leave. Nuldanna felt tears prick the corners of her eyes and she briskly left his talan, hurrying down the stairs. Haldir closed the door behind her with a decisive snap and stalked toward his sleeping quarters, slamming his own door behind him angrily. He had been a fool, but never would he be so deceived again.

* * *

Aldarina sighed, closing her eyes contently and resting her head on the edge of the tub. The warm water felt wonderful. It had stung her scrapes and cuts at first, but after a while, the pain had subsided and a wonderful, relaxing calm took hold. She jumped when the door was opened and Galadriel walked in, holding a white nightgown in one hand.

"I am sorry," Galadriel said. "I did not mean to disturb you, I thought you would have finished by now." Aldarina blushed.

"My hair was filthy and the water became dirty after I washed it so I had to refill the tub," she said sheepishly. "I am sorry if I am burdening you," Aldarina added hastily. "I do not mean to be of any trouble to you."

Galadriel smiled kindly.

"You are not a burden child, your worries are needless and you may take as long as you like." Aldarina smiled.

"I am nearly done as it is, the water is growing cold." Aldarina shifted and leaned over the tub to grab the towel. She stood, wrapping it around herself before stepping out onto the mat in front of the tub. Galadriel frowned and approached her.

"Turn around for a moment," she requested. A small frown crossed Aldarina's features but she complied. Galadriel's eyes widened as she surveyed the slashes that traveled down the elleth's back.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, turning Aldarina around to face her. Aldarina cast her eyes to the ground.

"I do not know my lady," she replied quietly. Galadriel's eyes narrowed as she glanced at a point somewhere over her shoulder, thinking pensively.

"I will see to it that they are cared for properly in the morning. I am sure Haldir did what he could for them, but treatment at the fences is primitive and not of a high enough quality." Aldarina nodded.

"Thank you," she murmured. Galadriel offered a kind smile.

"I will allow you to dress. When you are finished, I will be waiting outside and will show you to your room." It was not long before Aldarina was settled in bed and asleep. She did not dream that night.

* * *

A/N: Peh, short chapter I know, the next one will be better. I just wanted to get a chance to update this one, I'm really excited to write more! Thanks for the feedback and support.

**Reviewer Responses: **

**Eyes of the Sky: **Thanks! I'm glad you like it!

**Renegade Kitsune: **Mwaha, a new way to annoy him. Thanks for the review!

**Shilly**Nah, I thought I'd try something a bit different this time. I'm trying to make this fic as in-synch with the cannon as I can. In terms of Aldarina's memory (its actually a good question, I don't mind you asking at all), I think she might gain some of it back over time. She already got one memory back through speaking with Haldir. We'll have to see how it goes.

**Paratica**Honey, this fic is labeled as angst, what do you mean no deaths? Glad my profile made you laugh, I loved all those quotes.

**Blueforest**Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like it!

**Oracle10: **Hmm, Aldarina and Haldir, we'll have to wait for the story to develop a bit before that really gets going.

**SilverWinter**That's actually an interesting idea, the whole doing something because you don't know if you can or not. I actually hadn't considered that, I might have to pilfer that idea later on in the story (giving full credit where it is due of course).

**RiRiana**Thank you so much! Sorry if updates take a while though..

**Nirobie**Haha pixie sticks, niice. Thanks for the review.

**Moonbunny77: **An interesting thing that you pointed out actually. I understand what you're saying and actually, you're right. I'll try to make it a bit more realistic in the future however, thank you for letting me know I was straying from reality a bit lol. Sometimes I get a bit carried away when I write and I don't quite think it all through. Thanks for the review!! It means a lot!

**Jullez**Thanks for the review! A lot of people find Aldarina cute.

**Fuji**** the Hobbit: **Haha my brother always asks why, its so annoying. I feel Haldir's pain.

**Haldir's Heart and Soul: **Poor Aldarina indeed! I feel kinda bad for her…

**ShaneLover1: **Oh how I love Rumil and Orophin, those two are my life.


	4. Chapter 4: Talking

Chapter 4: Talking

When Aldarina rose the next morning, she found a small tray of food sitting on the night stand next to her bed. A white dress had been laid out for her on the chair to wear. She smiled and pulled the tray towards her, sorting through the assorted foods that had been left out. While she recognized everything, she could not place a name with each fruit and pastry that Galadriel left for her, or at least she assumed it was Galadriel that left the food for her. Aldarina smiled as she thought of the kind elleth. She seemed so considerate and generous, yet there was an air about her that made Aldarina wary. Her eyes seemed ancient yet the Lady herself was fair and beautiful. While she appeared considerate and tender, power and the demand for respect rolled off her in waves. All together it left Aldarina puzzled and entirely unsure of what to think of the elleth.

Having eaten, Aldarina stood and dressed herself. She jumped, startled when she turned and found another elleth in the room with her. She frowned and slowly walked towards her. Long ebony hair fell limply to her waist and still appeared to be rather dirty and in need of a second washing. The elleth she saw had grey-green eyes, the color of the leaves at dusk, yet they were red-rimmed and ringed with dark circles beneath them. Pale, colorless cheeks sunk in when they should have been rounded and rosy. The white, pristine dress hung loosely from the elleth's shoulders, her figure awkward and boney. Aldarina reached out slowly and her fingertips came in contact with the cold mirror glass. This was another elleth, it could not be her.

"You do not remember your reflection." Aldarina jumped, finding Lord Celeborn in the doorway. His proud and imperious frame filled the doorway as he calmly observed her. Aldarina managed a small smile.

"Good morning, my lord," she said politely.

"Would you care to walk with me for a short while?" he asked. Aldarina nodded, taking his arm. Lord Celeborn smiled down at her.

"So thin," he remarked. "Fear not, a week in our city is sure to change that." Aldarina's smile widened some at this.

"Everyone is so hospitable here, I wish I could offer something as repayment," she said, a small frown on her face. Lord Celeborn paused in his stride to open the door for her so she might step outside.

"You need not do anything to repay us. It truly is the least we could do to aid one of our kin," he replied. Aldarina frowned.

"But I have done nothing for you, you have no cause to help me," she replied, confused.

"If all the world ran in a way such as that, no kind deed would ever be done," he replied. Aldarina considered this a moment.

"I suppose that makes sense," she replied. "Though, that does not mean I should not do something in return for you." Celeborn laughed.

"You have been here little less than a day," he said. "Give yourself more time to rest, then we can consider future actions." Aldarina nodded, excepting this and their conversation quieted. As the two walked, she admired the proud silver trees that glistened in the morning sun. A calm, crisp breeze trickled through the forest, rustling the leaves that rested upon the ground.

They had not been walking long before Aldarina realized she was completely and hopelessly lost. The elves of Lórien had built their homes into the trees, and everything was connected by elaborate bridges and staircases. Sunlight gently caressed the white wood of the walkways and caused them to emit a soft glow. The trees themselves nearly sparkled and its bright, silver-green leaves rustled with the impatience of spring.

"I am quite lost," she remarked, breaking the silence. Celeborn laughed.

"You need not worry," he replied. "I will lead you back to your room if that is where you wish to go."

"Where are we going now?" she asked.

"The infirmary," he replied.Aldarina frowned.

"What is an infirmary?" she asked.

"A place where the injured and sick are healed," he replied.

"Why would we go there?"

"Galadriel wished to meet you there," he replied simply. Aldarina nodded, a part of her feeling privileged the Lady should request her presence, the other part almost dreading the experience. While the Lady was nice, Aldarina felt unease when near her. It was often as though the Lady knew all she thought, a simple glance from her piercing blue eyes felt as a blow to the gut.

A few more minutes of walking passed before the two arrived. The infirmary was a large one room building resting on the ground near the base of a tall tree. It was carved and designed in a fashion similar to all of the other talans and rooms in Lórien. The only difference was that it was much larger than any other building she had seen thus far. There was also the fact that it was on the ground, no other building in Lórien was, or at least she thought so.

"Why is this one on the ground?" she asked, pointing towards the infirmary. "It's on the only one I've seen that's not in a tree."

"Simply for convenience," Celeborn replied. "When wardens are wounded it makes more sense to not have to carry them up a flight or more of stairs. Often it can mean the difference between life and death." Aldarina nodded.

Celeborn knocked softly on the door of the infirmary before entering. He ushered Aldarina inside and then followed behind her, shutting the door. Galadriel was already in the room and was preparing some sort of solution in a small bowl. Bandages and other implements were laid out on the table next to her. She turned and smiled.

"Come," she said, beckoning to Aldarina. "Sit on the bed, I'll only be a moment more." Tentatively, Aldarina moved forward and sat on the edge of the cot. She looked up at Galadriel curiously, watching what she was making and wondering what it might be for. She looked up when she heard the door click shut and saw that Celeborn had left the room.

"Where did he go?" she asked.

"He has many other things to attend to. I asked him to show you here. He left to give us some privacy," Galadriel replied. She moved behind Aldarina, bowl and bandages in hand. After negotiating with Aldarina, Aldarina tentatively removed her dress so that Galadriel could examine her back. The Lady was appalled at the numbers of slashes and scars found upon the elleth's back. A number appeared to have healed, leaving behind only faint traces from where they had once been. The fresher ones had also started to heal, due in part to the aid Haldir gave. Galadriel applied the salve liberally to Aldarina's back before aiding her in wrapping the wounds.

"The wounds on your back should heal with time," Galadriel said. "The salve will see to it that no scars are left. As for the bruises on your arms and legs, I have a balm that may help to clear them faster, though most of your bruises appear to have faded already." Aldarina smiled.

"You needn't do more for me," she replied. "What you've done is enough, I'll be fine soon enough I'm sure." Galadriel sighed as the elleth stood to leave. So many questions surrounded the elleth; Galadriel wished that more could be done to aid her. The mind was a delicate place, Galadriel feared what might happen were she to tamper with Aldarina's, or perhaps try to find a way to clear it so that whatever obstructed the elleth's memory was gone. Galadriel was drawn from her thoughts at the sound of Aldarina's voice calling to her.

"My lady? My lady, do you need me for anything more?" Aldarina asked. Galadriel smiled kindly and shook her head.

"No, nothing more." Aldarina nodded and left the infirmary, closing the door quietly behind her. She sighed, looking up at the great trees before her. Sunlight streamed through the branches, illuminating random patches of the forest floor. Her wanderings brought her to the edge of a brook that ran through the forest. Aldarina followed it, watching as the brook widened and deepened into a shallow river that cut through the forest in zigzags. Aldarina paused and knelt beside it, skimming her hand over the cool water.

A soft glimmer caught her eye. Aldarina reached forward, picking up the stone that had caught her eye. Save the small portion that had caught the light, it was mostly covered in dirt. Aldarina forcefully rubbed her thumb over its surface, pushing away the dirt. She plunged it back in the water, rubbing and swishing it in the water to clean it. The end result was a dark jet black stone with shards of shimmering silver embedded throughout it. Its surface was completely smooth and the stone was rounded into an oval.

She stood again, clutching the stone in her hand, and continued to follow the river. Not long after, the soft sounds of idle chatter and laughter caught her ears. Her pace quickened slightly until two ellith came into view. One was clearly older than the other, though she bore no signs of age. Like Galadriel, her age was told by her posture, manner of speech and the wisdom in her eyes. The older elleth had deep cerulean eyes and golden hair that tumbled in soft waves to the small of her back. The elleth at her side had brown hair and a light dusting of freckles on her face. Aldarina slowed her pace, suddenly uneasy. The two were clearly friends, she should not intrude. Aldarina turned to quickly get away but the older one called out to her.

"Would you like to come join us?" she called. Aldarina paused, a small frown creasing her brow. Should she? She supposed it would be good to get to know a few more people. Valar knew how long she was going to be in Lothlórien. Sensing her hesitancy, the other elleth chimed in.

"Do not be shy," she said with a laugh. "Come. Sit with us." Aldarina slowly came forward, nervously toying with the material of her dress. She stopped a few paces before the two, a small nervous smile on her face.

"You needn't stand, come sit," the older elleth said with a laugh. Aldarina nodded and awkwardly sat in the space between the two ellith. In the middle of the small ring they formed was a basket containing various articles of clothing. The two were each sewing a different garment.

"What is your name?" the younger elleth asked.

"I am Aldarina," she replied quietly. The older elleth smiled knowingly.

"Ah, I have heard of you from my sons," she replied. "Rúmil finds you to be cute in your mannerisms." Aldarina blushed deeply.

"You are their mother then?" she asked. "I can see the resemblance between you and your sons."

"Many tell me that and still do to this day!" she replied. "I am Rilmael."

"I am Nuldanna," the other added. "Rumor of the dark elleth in our woods has been spreading quickly. I was curious to meet you."

"I've hardly been here more than a day," Aldarina replied with a frown. "People know of me already?"

"You would be surprised at how quickly gossip travels here. I've already heard two rumors circulating that you're a sorceress," Rilmael remarked.

"Or a messenger from Elrond," Nuldanna added. Aldarina raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I am none of those," she replied. "To the best of my knowledge anyway," she added with a frown. Rilmael rested a sympathetic hand upon Aldarina's shoulder.

"My sons told me of your… condition. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask me," she said. Aldarina gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you," she replied. "Until I am more completely settled here, Galadriel is seeing to most of my needs."

"When she gives you your own talan you'll have to let us help you adorn it properly," Nuldanna said with a grin.

"Adorn it?" Aldarina replied, frowning.

"Well the guest talans, while they are nice, are never all that striking. You'll surely want nice curtains and assorted decorations for countertops and walls. And I do not know what clothing you have with you, but I'm sure I could ask my sister to make you a few dresses," Nuldanna explained. Aldarina smiled.

"That would be very kind of you," she said. "Though I do not know how long I will be here," she added.

"Expect to live here until further notice," Rilmael replied. "Celeborn is still trying to find your place of origin and your family." The word struck a chord in Aldarina's chest. Family. Did she truly have her own? She wished she could remember them. Were they worried for her safety? Were they searching for her?

"We will find them soon enough, do not fear," Rilmael said, giving Aldarina's hand a squeeze.

"I regret more that I cannot remember them than that I am not with them now," she replied. She sighed, turning the stone over in her hand and running her fingers along its surface.

"That is a beautiful stone," Nuldanna remarked. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it in the river while I was walking," Aldarina replied. "I nearly missed it in passing; it was covered in dirt from the riverbed."

"Often what is beautiful or desired is hidden from plain sight," Rilmael commented with a soft smile. "Some things take more than a glance to see fully." Aldarina nodded.

"I suggest you hold onto it, it would make a good worry stone," Nuldanna said.

"What is a worry stone?" Aldarina asked.

"A worry stone is a bit like a charm that you carry with you. You keep it in your pocket, or if it's small enough, on a necklace, and hold it in your hand and rub it when you are nervous or worried. Afterwards you feel calm and able to think clearly again," she replied. Aldarina smiled, looking at the stone resting in her palm.

"I suppose such a thing would be good to have then," Aldarina replied. "I will be sure to hold onto it." Rilmael sighed and put the remaining clothes in the basket.

"I should return these to their respective owners," she said with a smile. "Valar knows they'll have plenty more ripped clothing that needs to be mended. They're home from the fences again."

"Always so clumsy," Nuldanna said with a shake of her head.

"Nuldanna," Rilmael said as she stood. "Perhaps you should show Aldarina around the city before dinner. If you would like Aldarina, you may eat with my sons and I tonight." Aldarina smiled.

"I would be delighted to," Aldarina replied. Rilmael smiled and nodded.

"Very well, I will see you tonight then." Shortly after Rilmael left, Nuldanna and Aldarina went on their own way to explore the city and get to know each other more.

"Why didn't Rilmael invite you to eat as well?" Aldarina asked. "That was not very nice of her." Nuldanna looked away.

"I… I have other plans tonight," she stammered. Aldarina frowned.

"I will not press you," she replied. "I do not want to be too nosey." Nuldanna sighed in relief.

"I had a bit of a falling out with Rilmael's son, that's all. Rilmael still remains my friend, though she was avoiding conflict in not inviting me over. I am not yet welcome." Aldarina nodded.

"Haldir and his brothers seem patient and generous. You will be welcomed and forgiven for whatever has happened soon enough I'm sure," Aldarina replied.

"I hope you're right," Nuldanna said with an uneasy frown. Nuldanna and Aldarina continued back to the center of the city, engaging in idle chatter and slowly getting to know one another.

* * *

A/N: Well enough, no reviewer responses this time but thank you all for your feedback! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. 


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